I think that it would be very interesting to implement a mechanism to reward users that contribute to an OSQA site.

A simple and effective scheme would be to display AdSense blocks using the AdSense Ids of the users.

We could add AdSense blocks in every question page. Then in, for example, 50% percent (admin setting) of the pageviews, instead of displaying the AdSense block using the AdSense of the site admins, it would be displayed using the AdSense Id of the user that posted the most voted answer.

Things to take into account:

  • to avoid abuse, only users with karma higher than a threshold (admin setting) will enter in this scheme
  • users will fill their AdSense Id in their profile pages. In addition to the Id, they could fill also (optionally) a Channel Id, to allow them to distinguish the incomes coming from OSQA in their AdSense reports

Sites using a similar scheme:

http://www.admoolah.com/blog/index.php/adsense-revenue-sharing-sites/

What do you think ?

EDIT: Of course there should be an admin setting to enable or disable this functionality.

asked 01 Jun '10, 10:32

Oscar's gravatar image

Oscar ♦
2.1k376169
accept rate: 27%

edited 01 Jul '10, 04:11

I'd like to strongly second this as an option. I'd only unlock the feature for users who have attained a certain amount of points or badges, and even then - allow for editorial control to flip the bit for sharing.

(02 Jun '10, 19:45) Chris Pirillo

I think this is an idea that sounds worthwhile in concept, but most users would get precious little reward from it even on a busy site. AdSense is just a hard way to make money on the web (unless you're Google!)

This is the kind of thing which could be implemented in a module, and I think it could be a cool one. Also, when we have themes we'll have widgets, too - this would be well suited for display in a widget.

link

answered 01 Jun '10, 10:36

rickross's gravatar image

rickross ♦♦
12.5k2914972
accept rate: 46%

Yes, rewards will depend on user contribution and also on site traffic and site topic.

But, well, a little reward is always better than no reward.

(01 Jun '10, 10:57) Oscar ♦

@Oscar: No, a de minimis reward can trivialize your effort, and harm more than it helps.

(02 Jun '10, 15:32) Joseph

In any case this feature would be something optional, to be enabled or disabled by the admin, so you could disable it in your site if you don't find it interesting.

(02 Jun '10, 16:25) Oscar ♦

I'd be careful about this as it would probably be interpreted by Google as encouraging clicks. As a group the contributors could inflate their earnings by clicking on ads themselves and fall foul of Google's policies

Encouraging Clicks

Publishers may not ask others to click their ads or use deceptive implementation methods to obtain clicks. This includes, but is not limited to, offering compensation to users for viewing ads or performing searches, promising to raise money for third parties for such behavior or placing images next to individual ads.

link

answered 15 Jun '10, 11:00

Rich%20Seller's gravatar image

Rich Seller
1.8k154047
accept rate: 23%

2

oh crap! I just deleted oscars comment, trying to vote it up.. how come i can delete other peoples comments?

(30 Jun '10, 18:29) debug

Perhaps the required reputation points configuration variable to delete other' s comments is too low.

(30 Jun '10, 19:00) Randell

And yeah, the idea really would really encourage clicks. I don't want the people in my site going because for the clicks instead of what the community has to offer.

(30 Jun '10, 19:01) Randell
1

This scheme (rewarding contributors through Adsense) is being used by sites with high traffic without having any problem with Google policies, so it is clear that Google does not consider this thing as "encouraging clicks". Example: http://www.xomba.com/make/money

In any case, if people want to cheat they can do it in their own pages, they don't need this scheme to generate false clicks. So I don't thing that the argument "this thing encourages clicks" is valid.

(01 Jul '10, 04:07) Oscar ♦
-1

Depending on the kind of users you have, I would suggest using BitCoins to reward good answers. As the bitcoin community growth it will beneficial to your site to use this innovative approach. Users willing for a good response will offer bitcoins. The regular way to use OSQA must still exists, off course.

link

answered 09 Jul '11, 12:38

Gallahar's gravatar image

Gallahar
27561414
accept rate: 0%

1

See http://meta.stackoverflow.com/questions/42481/the-problem-with-extrinsic-motivation which sets out, far better than I could, why this is not a good idea

(11 Jul '11, 04:11) Andrew_S ♦
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Asked: 01 Jun '10, 10:32

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Last updated: 11 Jul '11, 04:11

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